John Minto facts for kids
John Minto (born around 1953) is a New Zealand activist known for working with different groups that support social justice. He is most famous for his role in Halt All Racist Tours (HART). In 2005, a TV show called New Zealand's Top 100 History Makers listed him as one of the top 100 important people in New Zealand's history.
John Minto has been involved with groups like Global Peace and Justice Auckland and the Unite Union. He also used to write a weekly column for The Press newspaper. He was a teacher at Hornby High School and retired from teaching in 2018.
Contents
Activist Work
Fighting Racism with HART
In 1969, groups like Halt All Racist Tours (HART) were formed to protest against rugby union teams from Apartheid South Africa visiting New Zealand. Apartheid was a system in South Africa where people were separated and treated unfairly based on their race.
John Minto became the leader of HART in 1980. In 1981, he was very active in protests against the South African rugby team's tour of New Zealand. During one protest in Hamilton, he was attacked by rugby fans. After this, he started wearing a protective helmet, which became a well-known part of his protest outfit. He continued to be a leader in these protests.
John Minto's helmet is now part of the collection at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. In 2021, Minto helped organize events around New Zealand to remember the 40th anniversary of the 1981 protests.
Supporting Palestine
John Minto has also been a strong supporter of the Palestinian people. In 2009, he led a protest at a tennis tournament in Auckland. Protesters asked an Israeli player, Shahar Pe'er, to withdraw from the competition because of actions by the Israeli government. Pe'er chose to play, saying that politics had nothing to do with her sport.
A similar protest happened in 2010. John Minto and other protesters were arrested outside the tennis centre for disorderly behaviour. He later successfully appealed his conviction.
By 2021, Minto became the leader of the Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa (PSNA). This group organizes protests and has called for the Israeli Embassy in Wellington to close. Minto supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which aims to put pressure on Israel. He believes that Israel's actions are similar to the Apartheid system.
In 2023, after the Israel-Hamas war began, Minto criticized the Auckland War Memorial Museum for lighting up in the colours of the Israeli flag. He condemned attacks on civilians but also said that many Palestinians in New Zealand were upset that the New Zealand government did not also condemn Israeli attacks on civilians in the Gaza Strip.
In 2024, Minto helped a group successfully ask the Christchurch City Council to change its rules. The new rules mean the council will try not to buy things from companies involved in building settlements in Palestinian areas.
Political Work
Running for Mayor
John Minto has run for mayor in two major New Zealand cities. In 2013, he announced he would run for mayor of Auckland. In 2016, he ran for mayor in Christchurch.
Internet Mana Party
In the 2014 elections, John Minto was a candidate for the Internet Mana party.
His Views
COVID-19 Pandemic
During the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand, John Minto supported people getting vaccinated against COVID-19. However, he disagreed with the government's rules that made vaccines compulsory for some workers, like teachers and medical staff. He felt these rules gave the government too much power to dismiss people from their jobs.
Personal Life
Since 2014, John Minto has lived in Waltham, a suburb of Christchurch.
See also
- Halt All Racist Tours
- 1981 Springbok Tour
